Apparatus for continuously cleaning the surface of elongated stock

ABSTRACT

A body of particulate scouring material is provided in a chamber and is agitated in the chamber. Elongated stock to be cleaned is pulled through the scouring agent in the chamber while the scouring agent is agitated to abrade particles from the stock. A liquid is continuously applied to the scouring agent to entrain the abraded particles in the liquid. The liquid with the abraded particles entrained thereby is withdrawn from said chamber.

United States Patent Strohmeier 1 Sept. 19, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CLEANING THE SURFACE OF ELONGATED STOCK [72] Inventor: Harald Strohmeier, Kapfenberg,

Austria [73] Assignee: Gebr. Bohler & Co. A.G., Kapfenberg, Austria [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 113,251

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 13, 1970 Austria ..A 1300/70 [52] US. Cl. ..5l/20 [51] Int. Cl. ..B24b 31/02 [58] Field of Search ..5 III 8, 20, DIG. 10, 164

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,394,381 2/1946 Hoem ..5l/DlG. 10 3,487,840 l/l970 Stenzel ..5 1/164 X 801,403 10/1905 Rupley ..5l/DlG. 10 2,178,912 11/1939 Leahey ..5l/DlG. 10

Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney-Holman & Stern 57 ABSTRACT A body of particulate scouring material is provided in a chamber and is agitated in the chamber. Elongated stock to be cleaned is pulled through the scouring agent in the chamber while the scouring agent is agitated to abrade particles from the stock. A liquid is continuously applied to the scouring agent to entrain the abraded particles in the liquid. The liquid with the abraded particles entrained thereby is withdrawn from said chamber.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 I972 F/GJ . l I I APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CLEANING THE SURFACE OF ELONGATED STOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process and apparatus for a continuous cleaning of the surface of elongated stock, particularly wire. It is known for this purpose to pull the wire or other stack through a dry particulate scouring agent, which may consist of steel shot, corundum, hard metal chips or the like. It has been found that additional means, such as discs of textile material or leather or brushes or the like are required to remove the abraded fines which adhere to the stock.

It has now been found that a satisfactory cleaning of the wire or other stock, e.g., after annealing or pickling processes, can be accomplished in a single operation whereas the need for the above-mentioned means is eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the process provided by the invention for a continuous cleaning of the surface of elongated stock, particularly wire, the wire or other stock is pulled through a moving housing, which is filled with a particulate scouring agent, and the process is characterized in that a liquid, preferably water, is continually applied, e.g., by spraying, to the particulate scouring agent to wet the same and the abraded particles are substantially entrained by and carried out of the housing by the liquid.

The apparatus proposed to carry out the process according to the invention comprises a drum-shaped housing, which is mounted for rotation on an approximately horizontal axis and provided with openings similar to a sieve and is characterized in that blades for agitating the scouring agent are peripherally spaced at the inside surface of the housing and at least one spray pipe, spray nozzle or the like for wetting the scouring agent is provided in the top part of the housing.

According to another feature of the apparatus, the housing is carried by axial trunnions at its ends, the through openings for the passage of the wire or other stock through the housing comprise preferably central ducts in the trunnions, and a compressed-air inlet is provided, which opens into the outlet opening opposite to the direction in which the wire or other stock is pulled. By the jet of compressed air, the outlet opening can be kept free of the scouring'agent and a drying of the elongated stock can be accomplished in a simple manner.

The invention will now be explained more fully in conjunction with the drawing, which shows by way of example an embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a wire-cleaning apparatus provided with the wire-guiding rollers, the treating section with the drive means, and the covering which surrounds the housing,

FIG. 2 is a shortened longitudinal sectional view showing the treating section, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line l1l-lll in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The wire which emerges at high speed from an electrolytic pickling plant carries pickling bath sludge, which firmly adheres to the wire. The wire-cleaning apparatus serves to remove said sludge from the wire so completely that the wire can be satisfactorily copperplated immediately thereafter.

The wire to be cleaned is pulled in the direction of the arrow through a housing 6, which is disposed between wire-guiding rollers l, 2, and is rotated by a motor 3 through the intermediary of a pinion 4 and a sprocket 5. The drumlike housing 6 has openings similar to a sieve and at its inside surface is provided with a plurality of agitating blades 7. At its end walls 8, 9, the housing is mounted for rotation on its axis on trunnions l2, 13 by means of hubs l0 and bushings 11. The trunnions 12, 13 are secured to beamlike plate 14, 15 and formed with ducts 16, 17, which provide passages for the wire. The trunnion 13 is provided with a compressed-air inlet 18, which extends into the duct 17 in an oblique direction generally opposite to the direction in which the wire is pulled. A supply pipe 19 extends through the trunnion l3 and serves to supply liquid to a spray pipe 20.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, a section of a housing wall 6' is hinged and adapted to be locked by buckle lock 21. This hinged wall section facilitates a access to the interior of the housing and the filling thereof with he scouring agent. The scouring agent may consist of particulate hard materials of various kinds, such as pumice, blast-furnace slag, gravel, and the like. The particle size should be selected in view of the size of the sieve openings in the housing wall. The scouring agent which surrounds the wire is constantly agitated by the agitating blades 7 and is continuously sprayed with liquid from the spray pipe 20. The agitating blades 7 may have, e.g., a helical arrangement. The liquid consists preferably of water. In certain cases, however, it may be suitable to use aqueous solutions or organic solvents or other liquids. It is apparent from FIG. 1 that a covering -22 which surrounds the treating section has an inclined bottom and at the end of that bottom is provided with a outlet 23, through which the liquid laden with abrasive fines is discharged from the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for continuously cleaning the surface of elongated stock, which apparatus comprises a drumlike housing which defines a chamber and is adapted to retain a body of particulate scouring agent in said chamber, said housing having a peripheral wall, which defines said chamber and is formed with openings similar to a sieve,

means for rotating said housing about an approximately horizontal axis,

a plurality of peripherally spaced agitating blades provided on the inside surface of said peripheral wall and arranged to agitate said scouring agent during a rotation of said housing,

spraying means mounted in the upper part of said housing and operable to spray a liquid onto said scouring agent, and

stock-conducting means communication with said chamber at opposite ends of said housing and enabling said elongated stock to be pulled through said scouring agent in said chamber.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spraying means comprise a spray pipe.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spraying means comprise a spray nozzle.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said housing has end walls, said stock-conducting means comprising first and second trunnions, which disposed adjacent to said end walls and support said housing for rotation on said axis and are respectively formed with inlet and outlet ducts communicating with said chamber, stock-handling means are provided, which are operable to pull said stock through said housing in the 

1. Apparatus for continuously cleaning the surface of elongated stock, which apparatus comprises a drumlike housing which defines a chamber and is adapted to retain a body of particulate scouring agent in said chamber, said housing having a peripheral wall, which defines said chamber and is formed with openings similar to a sieve, means for rotating said housing about an approximately horizontal axis, a plurality of peripherally spaced agitating blades provided on the inside surface of said peripheral wall and arranged to agitate said scouring agent during a rotation of said housing, spraying means mounted in the upper part of said housing and operable to spray a liquid onto said scouring agent, and stock-conducting means communication with said chamber at opposite ends of said housing and enabling said elongated stock to be pulled through said scouring agent in said chamber.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spraying means comprise a spray pipe.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said spraying means comprise a spray nozzle.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said housing has end walls, said stock-conducting means comprising first and second trunnions, which disposed adjacent to said end walls and support said housing for rotation on said axis and are respectively formed with inlet and outlet ducts communicating with said chamber, stock-handling means are provided, which are operable to pull said stock through said housing in the direction from said first trunnion to said second trunnion, and said second trunnion is provided with a compressed air inlet laterally opening into said outlet duct in a direction which is oblique to the axis of said outlet duct and has a component which is opposite to the direction from said first trunnion to said second trunnion.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which said inlet and outlet ducts are centrally disposed in said first and second trunnions, respectively. 